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Thomas Cook has promised to remove 70 million single-use plastics from its resorts over the coming year, making it one of the world's largest holiday operators to do so.

In a bid to preserve the oceans that take top billing at most of its hotels, Britain’s third-largest tour operator said it would remove 70 million single-use plastics – equivalent to 3,500 suitcases full - within the next 12 months. This will come from domestic operations, on the company’s aeroplanes and in its branded hotels around Europe and northern Africa.

Plastics are a major source of marine pollution: marine animals become engangled in large pieces, while small pieces cause damage by entering the marine food chain. And once these plastic particles enter the marine environment, wind and currents spread them around the globe, dispersing the pollution in locations as remote as uninhabited Pacific islands and the Arctic.

A spokesperson for the operator, which has 22 million customers a year, cited the company’s customer research as an impetus for change: the issue of single-use plastic matters to 90 per cent of Thomas Cook customers, according to a survey of more than 3,000 people.

Nearly three-quarters of those polled said that their awareness of plastic use has grown in the past 12 months. Indeed, over the past year airports, including Gatwick and Heathrow, have given prominent placement to water fountains for re-filling reusable bottles; the Mayor of London announced a rollout of public drinking fountains in August, exactly a year after Borough Market, the heart of gourmet food in London, announced its phasing out of plastic bottle sales with the installation of free water fountains.

In addition to eliminating 70 million single-use plastics over the next year, Thomas Cook is piloting a re-use scheme in its Casa Cook Rhodes hotel, creating wash bags from old inflatables

But if a rejection of single-use plastic is part of the zeitgeist, Thomas Cook is the largest British tour operator to have made such a pledge so far.

“There is far too much waste in our seas and oceans,” said Alice Macandrew, director of group corporate affairs at Thomas Cook, pointing out that eight million pieces of plastic enter the oceans each day.

“This has devastating consequences, harming wildlife and washing up on the beaches we want to enjoy on holiday.

“Significantly for the travel industry, the amount of plastic litter going into the Mediterranean increases by 40 per cent during the summer months, demonstrating a direct link between our industry and plastic pollution.”

In order to make better use of plastics already at its resorts, the group will be running a pilot scheme in its Rhodes hotel to re-purpose plastic inflatables as beach bags and wash bags.

“We recognise we have a lot more to do to understand how much plastic Thomas Cook - and our network of supply chains and partners – really use across our business,” said Ms Macandrew. “We are starting with the big volume items like straws and stirrers where we expect to see immediate action. And we are focusing on our own brand hotels and our airline, because this is where we have the greatest control to effect change.”

But, she said, there is also a role for guests to play. The same survey found that more than one in five guests said they were more likely to throw away plastic rather than recycle while they are away from home.

“The challenge is huge and we know how much we have to do. But we know we have to start somewhere,” said Ms Macandrew. “Our hope is that by showing our commitment to do something, we will be able to influence others to work with us to cut radically the amount of plastic in the holiday industry, for the sustainable benefit of our employees, the destinations we love and, of course, our customers.”

The 70 million single-use plastics will be removed from Thomas Cook's branded hotels, like Casa Cook,in Kos, and also its aeroplanes and domestic officesCredit:
Universal Images Group Editorial/UniversalImagesGroup

Earlier this year, Telegraph Travel called on the travel industry, especially hotels, to use less single-use plastic in its properties, as part of its Safer, Fairer, Better campaign. A number of brands have agreed to do so, including Six Senses, a luxury hotel and spa brand, and Alila's Bali hotels.